MOULTON, Ala. (AP) -- Fifteen students at Lawrence County High School got suspended for wearing Confederate flag T-shirts to school Monday.

Principal Ricky Nichols said he suspended the students for three days each because they defied a ban he placed on rebel flag clothing on Friday.

"School is not an open forum," the principal said. "It is a place for learning."

Seven of the students and two parents protested later Monday at the Lawrence County Board of Education's parking lot.

The suspended students all wore T-shirts by Dixie Outfitters. The shirts have emblems on the front and back that contain the Confederate battle flag. The students said the shirts aren't meant as a racial statement.

"In Lawrence County, it's almost like a fashion statement, the same way people wear Tommy Hilfiger," senior Casey Hughes said.

Some students said they wear the shirts as an expression of Southern heritage, but the principal said none of the students could tell him if their great-grandfathers fought in the Civil War.

Walk through the metal detector, stand in line while the Vice Principal goes through your backpack, walk down the hall under the eye of the security cameras to the office where you pee in a cup in order to join FBLA. At lunch, go home and take off your shirt because the Principal doesn't like it. After lunch, go in for a random strip search while they have the drug dogs sniff your locker. You should finish in time to go into Civics class and learn all about how wonderful it is for you live in a free country where liberty reigns supreme.

Walk through the metal detector, stand in line while the Vice Principal goes through your backpack, walk down the hall under the eye of the security cameras to the office where you pee in a cup in order to join FBLA. At lunch, go home and take off your shirt because the Principal doesn't like it. After lunch, go in for a random strip search while they have the drug dogs sniff your locker. You should finish in time to go into Civics class and learn all about how wonderful it is for you live in a free country where liberty reigns supreme.

Some of the last real Americans stood up for states rights and freedom 140 years ago, against overwhelming odds. If today's Americans understood freedom as they did, we would not let mushy headed girlymen take over our country. I say, let the stars and bars be honored in all our communities from Maine to California. It is as much a herald of freedom as the star spangled banner.

Way to fake us all out with your altered headline. Why did you take out the word "Confederate?" What're you tryin' to hide, Dude? Were you just trying to get more hits on your post or what? Cheap shot.

"To gain the benefit of a public education, you must follow whatever rules they establish."

That's an interesting argument. In Tinker vs. DesMoines, however, the Supreme Court ruled that teachers and students do not shed their constitutional freedom of speech at the school door. I wonder what ruling since then has overturned this right?

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